NJ governor declares state of emergency

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has declared a state of emergency that will begin at 8 p.m., ahead of the expected nor’easter. The executive order authorizes the state’s director of emergency management to activate and coordinate response and recovery efforts.

“Following last weekend’s nor’easter and with another destructive winter storm approaching, I am declaring a state of emergency across all 21 counties in the State,” Murphy said. “We are taking every precaution necessary and will continue to monitor and assess the storm throughout the night to ensure all residents are safe and secure.”

A decision on whether government offices will be closed Wednesday had not been made as of 6:30 p.m.

Up to eight inches of heavy, wet snow is expected for Central New Jersey. High winds could also being down trees and utility poles and knock out power again.